1. Field of the Invention
The present invention deals with the field of devices usable for storage of equipment on emergency vehicles such as fire trucks. Firefighting requires a great deal of different types of equipment in the modern world and as a result there is a great premium on space when attaching the many different types of emergency equipment with respect to an emergency vehicle in a manner such that it is easily accessible and readily usable by firefighters and other emergency personnel. The apparatus of the present invention provides a means for automatically moving a ladder positioned within a ladder retaining frame from a ladder storage position on top of an emergency vehicle to a rearwardly extended position extending rearwardly therefrom and finally to a rearwardly and downwardly inclined position wherein the ladder is deployed ready for usage and movement back to the storage position. These movements are all powered by various different driving means and are operable to maintain the ladder and the ladder storage parts at all times within a very restricted space envelope or window in such a manner that a minimal amount of space is used.
Significant space saving is achieved because the ladder is stored on top of the emergency vehicle. The top of the emergency vehicle is a very difficult place to store materials in view of the fact that they have only limited accessibility when stored thereon. However, the present invention provides a means for powering movement of the relatively large ladders used in firefighting and other emergency services between the fully stored position out of reach of the firefighting or emergency personnel and the fully deployed position extending rearwardly therefrom such that the ladder is made readily available. Thus the present invention provides a means for making use of the upper or top area of an emergency vehicle which is otherwise difficult to make use of in such emergency vehicles for the storage of equipment used in emergency situations such as ladders.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous patents have been granted for the purposes of storing ladders with respect to vehicles or at remote limited access locations such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,890,940 issued Dec. 13, 1932 to C. H. Fox on a “Fire Engine”; and U.S. Pat. No. 1,898,826 issued Feb. 21, 1933 to C. H. Fox on a “Fire Engine”; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,005,990 issued to W. S. Darley on Jun. 25, 1935 on a “Fire Truck”; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,586,531 issued Feb. 19, 1952 to D. L. Gordon on a “Wheeled Support Having Ladder Assembly”; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,946,397 issued Jul. 26, 1960 to W. A. Berberich on a “Ladder Mount For Vehicles”; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,013,681 issued Dec. 19, 1961 to E. V. Garnett on a “Device For Storage Of Elongated Articles On A Vehicle”; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,058,607 issued Oct. 16, 1962 to J. T. Kiley on “Ladder Racks”; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,563,342 issued Feb. 16, 1971 to E. Lasiter on a “Truck Ladder”; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,672,549 issued Jun. 27, 1972 to A. J. Chorey on a “Car Top Carrier And Access Ladder”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,058,243 issued Nov. 15, 1977 to L. E. Tappan on a “Car Top Load Carrier”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,059,281 issued Nov. 22, 1977 to D. W. Evans and assigned to Towmotor Corporation on a “Mounting Assembly For A Controllably Movable Fluid Tank”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,062,464 issued Dec. 13, 1977 to R. E. Grove on “Mounting Brackets For An Article Handling Apparatus”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,139,078 issued Feb. 13, 1979 to J. R. Keller on a “Ladder Assembly”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,161,997 issued Jul. 24, 1979 to T. W. Norman on a “Self-Storing Step Structure For Vehicular Mounting”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,170,331 issued Oct. 9, 1979 to E. W. Faulstich on a “Vehicle Ladder Rack”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,239,438 issued Dec. 16, 1980 to C. R. Everson on a “Device For Lifting And Carrying Loads On Top Of Pickup Trucks”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,344,508 issued Aug. 17, 1982 to A. W. Peck and assigned to Alcan Research and Development Limited on a “Lift Mechanism For A Vehicle Tail-Board Or Other Load Platform”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,408,680 issued Oct. 11, 1983 to D. O. Ross on a “Ladder Support Assembly”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,618,083 issued Oct. 21, 1986 to K. F. Weger, Jr. and assigned to Knaack Mfg. Co. on a “Ladder Clamping Device For Vehicle Rack”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,738,582 issued Apr. 19, 1988 to J. E. Roberts and assigned to E Manufacturing Company Inc. on a “Tank Carrier And Manipulator”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,751,981 issued Jun. 21, 1988 to J. C. Mitchell et al on a “Detachably Mounted Ladder Rack”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,827,742 issued May 9, 1989 to R. R. McDonald and assigned to Unistrut Australia Pty. Ltd. on a “Security Assembly For Vehicle Roofrack”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,725 issued Aug. 22, 1989 to L. H. Griffin on a “Ladder Brace”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,877,108 issued Oct. 31, 1989 to L. H. Griffin et al on a “Hydraulic Ladder Brace”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,909,352 issued Mar. 20, 1990 to K. McComb on a “Ladder Support System”; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,757 issued Sep. 4, 1990 to J. R. Stevens et al on a “Front Rack For A Truck”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,009,350 issued Apr. 23, 1991 to J. M. Schill et al on “Retainer Assemblies For Elongated Objects”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,048,641 issued Sep. 17, 1991 to J. N. Holcomb et al and assigned to Jack N. Holcomb on a “Van-Mounted Ladder Assembly With Concealed Radio Antennas”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,064,022 issued Nov. 12, 1991 to G. W. Graham and assigned to Marrowbone Development Company on a “Ladder Apparatus And Method For Large Mobile Eguipment”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,071,308 issued Dec. 10, 1991 to J. Tibbet on an “Apparatus For Loading And Carrying Boats”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,104,280 issued to M. P. Ziaylek et al on Apr. 14, 1992 and assigned to Michael P. Ziaylek on an “Apparatus For Use With An Emergency Vehicle For Storage And Retrieval Of Remotely Located Emergency Devices”; and U.S. Design Pat. No. Des.331,030 issued Nov. 17, 1992 to M. P. Ziaylek et al on a “Unit For Use With An Emergency Vehicle For Storage And Retrieval Of Remotely Located Emergency Devices”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,172,952 issued Dec. 22, 1992 to R. Lasnetski on an “Overhead Storage Rack For Storing Ladders Or The Like”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,495 issued Jun. 6, 1995 to L. Bubik et al and assigned to Innovative Bicycle Design Inc. on a “Vehicle Roof Rack”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,297,912 issued to A. Y. Levi on Mar. 29, 1994 and assigned to JAJ Products, Inc. on a “Ladder Rack For Motor Vehicles” and U.S. Pat. No. 5,469,933 issued Nov. 28, 1995 to J. Thomason on a “Vehicle Mounted Ladder”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,518,357 issued May 21, 1996 to T. Ziaylek, Jr. et al and assigned to Theodore Ziaylek, Jr. and Michael P. Ziaylek on a “Retaining And Retrieval Apparatus For Storage Of A Ladder Upon A Vehicle Shelf Area”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,538,100 issued Jul. 23, 1996 to R. I. Hedley on an “Access Device”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,632,591 issued May 27, 1997 to K, R. Henriquez on a “Ladder Storage And Transport Device”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,743,702 issued Apr. 28, 1998 to M. J. Gunderson on a “Method And Apparatus For A Vehicle Mounted Hoisting System”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,791,857 issued Aug. 11, 1998 to T. Ziaylek, Jr. et al and assigned to Theodore Ziaylek, Jr. and Michael Paul Ziaylek on an “Automatic Ladder Lowering And Storage Device For Use With An Emergency Vehicle”; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,850,891 issued Dec. 22 1998 to J. J. Olms et al and assigned to Trimble Navigation Limited on a “Motorized Rack System” and U.S. Pat. No. 6,003,633 issued Dec. 21, 1999 to R. G. Rolson and assigned to Robert G. Rolson on a “Portable Truck Or Trailer Ladder Assembly”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,012,545 issued Jan. 11, 2000 to E. Faleide on a “Foldable Vehicle Ladder System”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,029,750 issued Feb. 29, 2000 to B. E. Carrier on an “All Terrain Fire-Fighting Vehicle”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,092,972 issued Jul. 25, 2000 to A. Y. Levi on a “Truck Mounted Ladder Rack”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,315,181 issued Nov. 13, 2001 to J. A. Bradley et al and assigned to Adrian Steel Company on a “Ladder Rack Apparatus And Method”; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,427,889 issued Aug. 6, 2002 to A. Y. Levi on a “Ladder Rack For Hi Bay Vans”.